In excess of 30,000 medical consultations per year!
That’s the goal set by the Bendigo District Aboriginal Co-operative (BDAC) with a new purpose-built two-storey medical facility to be built and brought online by early to mid-2025.
It’s essentially doubling the over 16,000 medical consultations that are currently delivered by the ACCO that has been in operation since 2001.
According to the CEO of BDAC, Darug man Dallas Widdicombe, patients are waiting up to two weeks to get in to see a GP or nurse; and a growing community means pressure on the existing facilities will only increase.
“The new facility will give us an extra 10 consulting rooms,” Mr Widdicombe told Victorian Aboriginal News (VAN). “That’s more General Practitioners, nurses and allied health professionals that we can accommodate and better service the community.”
In addition to the new consulting rooms, all of which will be on the ground floor, the new facility will also provide offices, meeting rooms, additional storage and a dedicated gathering place for community Elders.
Responding to community
Chairperson of BDAC, Ngarrindjeri woman Nicoloa Perry said that responding to the voices and needs of community is fundamental to the design and offerings of the new facility.
One of those needs is a dental service, and Ms Perry believes that while it is definitely an ambitious goal, it is one that has been heard loud and strong from community.
“If not straight away, it’s definitely a goal for the future,” she said.
“Just being able to bring everything together under the one roof is going to be amazing.”
Environmental principles
In commenting on the building itself, Mr Widdicombe said: We’ve worked closely with the architectural firms – BLP and Workshop Architects – to make sure the building reflects the needs of our community.
“The design draws inspiration from the local landscape and culture, and has a deep commitment to sustainability to honour and safeguard the land and waters of Dja Dja Wurrung.
“Sustainability and care for Djandak (Country) were key principles guiding the design of the facility.
“BDAC challenged the architects to embed sustainability into every aspect of the project, from the construction phase to its ongoing long-term operation.
The resulting design well and truly reflects this brief with recycled materials, exposed timber elements, passive lighting provided through the large windows and skylights, and large-scale solar system and battery storage.”
About BDAC
BDAC was founded in 2001 to offer culturally appropriate, safe and accessible services and programs to the Dja Dja Wurrung community (Jaara People) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents living on Dja Dja Wurrung Country.
The Dja Dja Wurrung Country includes the regional city of Bendigo, where nearly 2,000 Aboriginal People live, and the surrounding districts of Boort, Redesdale and Creswick.
